Vibration dampener

ABSTRACT

A vibration dampener for a racket includes a strip formed of elastomeric material having a first end part and a second end part, the strip having a first incision at the first end part and a second incision at the second end part, at least one hooking member having a hollow body having a hole into which the first end part is inserted and a hook formed at one side of the hollow body, wherein said at least one hooking member each is combined with the strip by inserting the first end part of the strip into the hole of the hollow body and pulling the elastomeric band until the strip and the hollow body makes a restraining knot.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/312,576, filed on Mar. 24, 2016, in theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vibration dampener kit, a vibrationdampener, and a method of using the vibration dampener.

2. Background Art

It is well known that each racket stroke causes high frequencyvibrations of the racket. Farther from the center of the impact zone ofa strung racket, the greater the vibration. These vibrations aredetected and transmitted along the transverse and longitudinal stringsof the racket, to the frame surrounding and holding the strings, andeventually down the racket handle to the hand and then the arm of theplayer. It has been shown that a player who has been exposed toextensive periods of racket-induced vibrations can sustain arm injury.Thus, it is considered desirable to reduce such vibrations both for thecomfort of the player and for the protection of the player.

Throughout the years, numerous attempts have already been made in anendeavor to attenuate these vibrations, either by the employment of newmaterials within the construction of the frame, types of stringsutilized, and by incorporating devices between the longitudinal andtransverse strings. However, devices and apparatus' applied tolongitudinal and transverse strings have failed to deliver lastingusability. Anti-vibration devices and apparatus' exhibited one of ormany of the following defects, but not limited thereto:

(1) ineffectiveness due to the quality of a device;

(2) reliability involving breakages due to poor design;

(3) difficulties involved in their installation

(4) inability to securely fasten the device on to the strings; and

(5) complexity of utilization

Consequently, in view of the above-described shortcomings, a need stillexists for another approach to vibration dampening in order to reflecttoday's current technology.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vibration dampenerkit for a sporting racket includes a strip formed of elastomericmaterial having a first end part and a second end part, the strip havinga first incision at the first end part and a second incision at thesecond end part, at least one hooking member including a hollow bodyhaving a hole therein, and a hook formed at a side of the hollow body.

The at least one hooking member may include a pair of the hookingmembers or one hooking member.

The strip may be formed of rubber.

The at least one hooking member may be formed of rigid material.

A thickness of the strip may be in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a vibrationdampener for a racket includes a strip formed of elastomeric materialhaving a first end part and a second end part, the strip having a firstincision at the first end part and a second incision at the second endpart, and at least one hooking member including a hollow body having ahole into which the first end part is inserted and a hook formed at oneside of the hollow body, wherein said at least one hooking member eachis combined with the strip by inserting the first end part of the stripinto the hole of the hollow body and pulling the elastomeric band untilthe strip and the hollow body makes a restraining knot.

The at least one hooking member may have a first hooking member combinedwith the strip at first end part of the strip, and a second hookingmember combined with the strip at second end part of the strip. In thiscase, a method of applying the vibration dampener of to a racket havinglongitudinal strings and transverse strings includes weaving the stripover and under strings of either the longitudinal strings or thetransverse strings, inserting the first end part of the strip into thehole of the first hooking member and pulling the strip until the stripand the hollow body of the first hooking member makes a restrainingknot, hooking the hook of the first hooking member to a first stringspaced apart and parallel to the strings over and under which the stripis weaved, inserting the first end part of the strip into the hole ofthe first hooking member and pulling the strip until the strip and thehollow body of the first hooking member makes a restraining knot, and

The at least one hooking member may have a single hooking memberscombined with the strip at one end of the vibration dampener. In thiscase, a method of applying the vibration dampener to a racket includesforming a loop by folding and inserting the first end part of the stripinto the second incision, while one of the strings is being positionedin the folded strip, and pulling the strip until the strip makes contacton said one of the strings creating a restraining knot, inserting thesecond end part of the strip into the hole of the hooking member andpulling the strip until the strip and the hollow body of the hookingmember makes a restraining knot, weaving the strip over and understrings of either the longitudinal strings or the transverse strings,said one of the strings parallel to the strings over and under which thestrip is weaved, and hooking the hook of the hooking member to anotherstring spaced apart and parallel to the strings over and under which thestrip is weaved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, referencewill now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein an embodiment ofthe invention is shown for purposes of illustration, and wherein

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the elastomeric strip of the vibrationdampener according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hooking member including a hollow bodyhaving a hole and a hook according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of looping and knotting onto a stringaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the elastomeric strip combined with thehooking member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a vibration dampener applied onto thestrings according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a vibration dampener on a racket whenboth ends of the elastomeric strip has the hooking member according toan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a vibration dampener on a racket whenonly one end of the elastomeric strip has the hooking member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as“vertical” are words synonymous with longitudinal and “horizontal” withtransverse. Words of this nature are used for convenience and are not tobe misconstrued as limiting terms.

Embodiments of the present invention attenuate the vibrations of aracket having a striking surface or face formed of two intersecting setsof parallel strings suspended by and enclosed by a hollow frame. Theracket may include, is not limited to, a racket for badminton,racquetball, squash, tennis, etc.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vibrationdampener has an elastomeric strip and a hooking member having a hook anda hollow body having a hole into which the elastomeric strip isinserted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the elastomeric strip 101 of thevibration dampener according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The elastomeric strip 101 may be made of any kind of elastomericmaterial. For example, the elastomeric material may be rubber, but thematerial is not limited to rubber. An exemplary thickness of theelastomeric strip may be 2 mm to 6 mm.

The elastomeric strip 101 may be, but not limited to, in various lengthsto cover the entire longitudinal and/or transverse strings or set ofdefined lengths. The elastomeric strip 101 is applied by weaving andtouching over and under the longitudinal and/or transverse strings. Thedampening of vibration or so called oscillation and resonance isachieved when the elastomeric strip 101 absorbs the frequency which istransmitted through the contact surface on the strings.

In FIG. 1, the elastomeric strip 101 is shown with the incision 111 inthe middle having a complete passage in the form of a cavity or a void.For example, the incision 111 may be located about 2.5 mm×2.5 mm awayfrom the end of the elastomeric strip. The length of the incision 111may be, but not limited to, 15 mm to 27 mm long.

The incision 111 may be formed on both ends of the elastomeric strip101.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hooking member 102 including a hollowbody 122 having a hole 123 and a hook 124 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

The hollow body 122 may be any shape. For example, it can be a squareshape, a rectangular shape or a round shape. The hole 123 formed in thehollow body 122 may have any kid of shape as long as the elastomericstrip 101 can be inserted therein. For example, the hole may be in aform of an unmodifiable square hole 123. However, the hole 123 may be ina different form.

The hook 124 is formed on a side of the hollow body 122 and may be, forexample, an unfoldable and unmodifiable “U” shaped clip which slidesinto and around the circumference of the longitudinal or transversestring(s) 103.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hook 124 may bemade of a rigid material an unfoldable, unmodifiable, permanent, and aninvariable structure.

Looping and knotting on a longitudinal and/or transverse string bed isaccomplished by folding and inserting one end of the elastomeric strip101 into the incision 111 at the opposite end of the elastomeric strip101, while the string 103 is positioned therebetween. It is then, pulleduntil the elastomeric strip 101 makes contact on the longitudinal and/ortransverse string creating a restraining knot 113.

Referring to the drawings FIG. 3, a loop 112 is formed at the end of thevibration dampener, and a knot 113 is formed around the circumference ofa string 103 by inserting one end of the elastomeric strip 101 into theincision 111 formed at the opposite end of the elastomeric strip, andbeing pulled through until the elastomeric strip 101 is knotted aroundthe circumference of the string 103.

FIG. 4 illustrates the hooking member 102 is combined with theelastomeric strip 101. One end of the elastomeric strip 101 is insertedinto the hole 123 of the hollow body 122 before forming the loop 112,and then the loop 125 and the knot around the hollow body are formed inthe same way as shown in FIG. 3, except that the string is notpositioned therebetween.

The hooking member 102 may be combined at one end of the elastomericstrip 101, or at both ends of the elastomeric strip 101.

FIG. 5 shows the vibration dampener applied onto the strings 103according to an embodiment of the present invention.

One end of the vibration dampener is shown weaving “up” and “down”through a defined set of longitudinal and transverse strings. It is atthe point of contact where the elastomeric strip 101 touches the strings103, the dampening of vibration or so called the frequency of theoscillation and resonance is absorbed.

Fastening the hook 124 to the longitudinal and/or or transversestring(s) is accomplished by wedging, in the form of pushing, nudging,and thrusting, into the hook's “U” shaped chamber. This creates an idealimmobile condition which the hook 124 can attach to the string(s) 103.

Referring to the drawings FIGS. 6A and 6B, the vibration dampener isinstalled on strings 103 of a racket. In FIG. 6A, both ends of theelastomeric strip 101 has the hooking member 102. In FIG. 6B, only oneend of the elastomeric strip 101 has the hooking member 102.

When both ends of the elastomeric strip 101 have the hooking members 102as shown in FIG. 6A, the vibration dampener may be applied to thestrings without forming the knot 113 around the string as shown in FIG.3.

An exemplary method of applying the vibration dampener to a racket whenboth ends of the elastomeric strip 101 have the hooking members 102 asshown in FIG. 6A is as follows.

The elastomeric strip 101 is weaved over and under strings of either thelongitudinal strings or the transverse strings. One end part of thestrip is inserted into the hole of one of the hooking members, and then,the strip is pulled until the strip and the hollow body of the hookingmember makes a restraining knot. In the same way, the other end part ofthe strip is combined with the other of the hooking members. Each hookof the hooking members is hooked to each string as shown in FIG. 6A bywedging, in the form of pushing, nudging, and thrusting, into the hook's“U” shaped chamber. The waving, the combination of the strip with eachhook, and the hooking of one of the hooks to the string may be performedin any order.

When only one end of the elastomeric strip 101 has the hooking member102 as shown in FIG. 6B, the vibration dampener may be applied byforming the knot 113 around the string at one end thereof and hookingthe string with the hooking member 102 at the other end thereof.

An exemplary method of applying the vibration dampener to a racket whenone end of the elastomeric strip 101 have the hooking member 102 asshown in FIG. 6B is as follows.

A loop is formed by folding and inserting one end part of the strip intothe incision positioned at the other end part of the strip, while one ofthe strings is being positioned in the folded strip, and pulling thestrip until the strip makes contact on the string creating a restrainingknot. The elastomeric strip 101 is weaved over and under strings ofeither the longitudinal strings or the transverse strings. The other endpart of the strip is inserted into the hole of the hooking member, andthen, the strip is pulled until the strip and the hollow body of thehooking member makes a restraining knot. The hook of the hooking membersis hooked to each string as shown in FIG. 6B by wedging, in the form ofpushing, nudging, and thrusting, into the hook's “U” shaped chamber. Thelooping, the waving, the combination of the strip with the hook may beperformed in any order.

The invention relates to rackets and aims at suppressing thehigh-frequency vibration which is excited by the impact of a ball. Aflexible elastomeric material such as rubber in specific length,thickness, and width has the ability to absorb and suppress shock andvibration at different levels of any racket that has been formed andshaped into a frame using materials such as metal, graphite, fiberglass,and so on. The flexible elastomeric material is weaved over and underthe Longitudinal (Vertical) strings between the handle and the nearestcross or Transverse (Horizontal) string, where a ball would not makecontact or may not have significant impact during a normal play.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vibration dampener kit for a racket,comprising: a strip formed of elastomeric material having a first endpart and a second end part, the strip having a first incision at thefirst end part and a second incision at the second end part; and atleast one hooking member comprising a hollow body having a hole therein,and a hook formed at a side of the hollow body.
 2. The vibrationdampener kit of claim 1, wherein the at least one hooking membercomprises a pair of the hooking members.
 3. The vibration dampener kitof claim 1, wherein the at least one hooking member has one hookingmember.
 4. The vibration dampener kit of claim 1, wherein the strip isformed of rubber.
 5. The vibration dampener kit of claim 1, wherein theat least one hooking member is formed of rigid material.
 6. Thevibration dampener kit of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the strip isin the range of 2 mm to 6 mm.
 7. A vibration dampener for a racket,comprising: a strip formed of elastomeric material having a first endpart and a second end part, the strip having a first incision at thefirst end part and a second incision at the second end part; and atleast one hooking member comprising a hollow body having a hole intowhich the first end part is inserted and a hook formed at one side ofthe hollow body, wherein said at least one hooking member each iscombined with the strip by inserting the first end part of the stripinto the hole of the hollow body and pulling the elastomeric band untilthe strip and the hollow body makes a restraining knot.
 8. The vibrationdampener of claim 7, wherein the strip is formed of rubber.
 9. Thevibration dampener of claim 7, wherein the at least one hooking memberis formed of rigid material.
 10. The vibration dampener of claim 7,wherein a thickness of the strip is in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm. 11.The vibration dampener of claim 7, wherein the at least one hookingmember comprises a first hooking member combined with the strip at firstend part of the strip, and a second hooking member combined with thestrip at second end part of the strip.
 12. The vibration dampener ofclaim 7, wherein the at least one hooking member comprises a singlehooking members combined with the strip at only one end of the vibrationdampener.
 13. A racket having the vibration dampener of claim
 7. 14. Amethod of applying the vibration dampener of claim 11 to a racket havinglongitudinal strings and transverse strings, the method comprising:weaving the strip over and under strings of either the longitudinalstrings or the transverse strings; inserting the first end part of thestrip into the hole of the first hooking member and pulling the stripuntil the strip and the hollow body of the first hooking member makes arestraining knot; hooking the hook of the first hooking member to afirst string spaced apart and parallel to the strings over and underwhich the strip is weaved; inserting the first end part of the stripinto the hole of the first hooking member and pulling the strip untilthe strip and the hollow body of the first hooking member makes arestraining knot; and hooking the hook of the first hooking member to asecond string spaced apart and parallel to the strings over and underwhich the strip is weaved.
 15. A racket to which the vibration dampeneris applied according to the method of claim
 14. 16. A method of applyingthe vibration dampener of claim 12 to a racket having longitudinalstrings and transverse strings, the method comprising: forming a loop byfolding and inserting the first end part of the strip into the secondincision, while one of the strings is being positioned in the foldedstrip, and pulling the strip until the strip makes contact on said oneof the strings creating a restraining knot; inserting the second endpart of the strip into the hole of the hooking member and pulling thestrip until the strip and the hollow body of the hooking member makes arestraining knot; weaving the strip over and under strings of either thelongitudinal strings or the transverse strings, said one of the stringsparallel to the strings over and under which the strip is weaved; andhooking the hook of the hooking member to another string spaced apartand parallel to the strings over and under which the strip is weaved.17. A racket to which the vibration dampener is applied according to themethod of claim 16.